By Dr. Rosie Milligan, L.A. Sentinel
Black America is standing at a crossroads. Not next year. Not five years from now. Right now. We are living in a racial melting pot where every community, Latino, Asian, Middle Eastern, African, Eastern European, is fighting fiercely for its slice of America’s economic pie. Everybody has a plan except Black America, and while we’ve been waiting for rescue, the rules of the game have changed.
And let’s tell the truth with no sugarcoating: DEI was never designed to save us. And now that many corporations are pulling back from DEI initiatives altogether, the message is clear, nobody is obligated to hire your children, promote your children, or economically advance your children.
The only path to survival, and the only path to power, is entrepreneurship.
The Era of “Somebody Is Coming to Save Us” Is Over. For generations, Black people were conditioned to believe that: The government would level the playing field. Corporate America would diversify leadership. Schools would prepare our children for high-paying careers, and Social programs would provide safety nets.
But look around. Corporations are downsizing. Automation is replacing jobs. College degrees no longer guarantee employment, and DEI is being stripped, redefined, and minimized.
If we continue waiting for someone to open a door for us, we, and our children will remain locked outside the economic house with no key. No one is coming to save Black America. And our children must hear this straight, not sugarcoated. Every Other Group Has a Strategy, Where Is Ours? Walk into any major city and observe who owns: The gas stations, The motels, The dry cleaners, The nail shops, The corner stores, The beauty supply chains, The laundromats, The technology start-ups, and the distribution channels. It is rarely African Americans.
While we fight among ourselves, other communities build family businesses, combine resources, and establish multi-generational wealth pipelines. They are not waiting for acceptance; they are creating opportunities. They are not begging for inclusion; they are building ownership.
They are not asking for seats at the table — they are purchasing the building.
Meanwhile, too many of our children are being prepared for jobs that will no longer exist, while entrepreneurship — the foundation of wealth creation is barely discussed at home, school, or church. Entrepreneurship Is Not Optional — It’s Survival. Entrepreneurship is not simply starting a business. It is: Economic self-defense, A shield against discrimination, A pathway to independence, A tool for community wealth, and A model of ownership our children can inherit.
Entrepreneurship is the only guarantee that Black families can create opportunities when the system slams doors shut. It is how we ensure our children never have to beg for permission to survive.
DEI Gave False Hope. Reality Requires Strategy. DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) gave Black America a temporary seat and a false sense of progress. But DEI was never a substitute for ownership. Now that DEI is being dismantled, many Black professionals are shocked to learn:
- Their seat wasn’t secure
- Their advancement wasn’t guaranteed
- Their inclusion was conditional
DEI shifted, The economy shifted But, our mindset has not. We must teach our children: “A job can feed you. And Ownership can free you.”
We Must Tell Our Children the Truth, Plain and Uncut. We cannot keep lying to our children with outdated messages like: “Go to school, get good grades, and the world will take care of you.” The world they are inheriting is unforgiving. It rewards creators, innovators, entrepreneurs, and owners.
Every Black child must hear these truths: You cannot depend on corporate America to save you. You are competing in a global economy, not a neighborhood job market. You need multiple streams of income, not one fragile paycheck. You must develop skills that you can monetize, not just degrees to hang on a wall. Entrepreneurship is your economic armor.
Ownership Is the New Civil Rights Movement
If the Civil Rights Movement was about access, the 2026 Movement must be about ownership. Ownership of: Businesses, Land, Technology, Intellectual property, Media, Digital platforms and Community resources.
Black America cannot afford to wait for another generation to get this right. Our children are already behind in wealth, technology, and competitive positioning. Entrepreneurship must become our lifestyle, not a backup plan.
The Call to Action: Start Today. If Black America wants to survive and thrive in a rapidly shifting America, we must: Build businesses, not just résumés. Teach our children the value of ownership. Practice group economics. Form partnerships over petty differences. Learn Technology, AI, and digital commerce. Establish family legacy plans. Create systems and pipelines for wealth.
This is not optional. This is not negotiable. This is not something we can “get around to.” This is our only path to survival, and our only path to freedom. Entrepreneurship is the new, Emancipation. And the conversation must start now, unapologetically, with no softening of the truth.
One day our children are going to ask us, Mama, Papa, What Happen, and How did we get here in this condition? Think hard, right now. What will your answer be?
Dr. Rosie Milligan, Self-appointed Mayor of South-Central Los Angeles, Author, Publisher, Senior Estate Planner, Owner of Professional Business management/Consulting Services.